Category: Tribute

Rolf Hagedorn, who introduced the concept that hadronic matter has a melting point, died on 9 March 2003.

After studies in Göttingen he came to CERN in Geneva in 1954 as an accelerator theorist. He joined the CERN Theory Group after its transfer in 1957 from Copenhagen to Geneva and he was a senior physicist in the Division when he retired in 1984.

He continued his research after retirement, and up to very recently he made pertinent contributions in developments in the field of relativistic heavy ion collisions.

As an accelerator physicist he developed the theoretical predictions for the particle spectra initially observed when the CERN PS first began operation, which was important for the optimisation of secondary beams. He then developed the statistical theory of meson production in considerable detail up to very high energies. It was a consequence of these studies that he found that one should expect a limiting temperature in hadronic collisions, the Hagedorn temperature. This picture has had a major impact on theoretical thinking and on our understanding of the properties of hot hadronic matter, which is important now in the heavy ion program. Since the picture is applicable to any exponentially rising particle mass spectrum it is also influencing the development of string theories.

Among contributions to CERN, Hagedorn developed one of the earliest user-friendly interactive computing programs for algebraic manipulations, the SIGMA.

Rolf Hagedorn was a person of the highest scientific integrity and standards of reasoning. He was always willing to help colleagues and his comments were usually penetrating and deep.

He will be much missed by friends and colleagues.

(reprinted from the CERN weekly bulletin 14/2003)

Our friend and colleague Fred Asner died 25 October in his 79^th year after a long, cruel illness endured with courage and optimism.

Coming from Zagreb in Croatia he obtained his diploma in engineering in 1951. Fred worked in Switzerland from 1955 onwards, obtaining a Doctorat ès Sciences Techniques at the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale Zürich in 1960. The same year he joined CERN.

He was passionately involved in his work in the construction of all kinds of magnets and participated in many projects: magnets for the PS and SPS experimental areas as well as special magnets, kicker magnets and septum magnets for the Booster.

In the superconductivity field, he worked on CERN’s first superconducting quadrupole magnet and in the handing on of the technology to industry. After retirement in 1989 he remained active as a consultant to and a collaborator with several institutes and laboratories. He always remained attached to his native Croatia, encouraging it to join CERN as a member state.

In 1999 his book High Field Superconducting Magnets appeared in the Oxford Science Publications Series.

Fred was intensely curious about all aspects of life, very well informed on world events, possessed of a great musical and literary culture (he spoke 5 languages). Conversation with this very sociable man was always rich, instructive and agreeable. He will be missed by his colleagues and friends.

Mario WEISS

Georges Sarkissian has passed away on 20 November 2002 in his 87th year. He joined CERN at its very beginning (1954) and he organised there the Purchasing Service for which he remained largely responsible. During all the years until 1979 the Organisation has benefited from the vast experience and rich past of Georges Sarkissian.

His active and happy retirement came to a sad end through a partial paralysis, endured for five years with great courage. Fortunately for his family and friends his intellectual faculties remained unharmed. His former colleagues will remember the good working atmosphere around him, his sense of humour, his human qualities, his kindness and his strong character.

We offer our sincere condolences to his wife and his family and will remember Georges for a long time.

A group of friends

Renie, Lady Adams, who died on 30 September, was the widow of Sir John Adams, a former Staff Member and Director-General of CERN. As a beneficiary of the CERN Pension Fund, she was a member of GAC and took an interest in its affairs. In 1998, Renie was elected as one of the Auditors of our Association, but was unable to take up this appointment because of ill health.

In 1974, she founded the CERN Women’s Club, which, in addition to its normal club activities, has since helped many newcomers’ wives to settle into the Geneva area. She played an important role in supporting her husband in his contacts with CERN personnel at all levels, with the CERN Council and its committees, as well as with visiting dignitaries from all parts of the world.

Renie was interested in everything around her and was always ready to help her friends and family alike. Her warm personality and easy manner will be missed by all those who knew her.

Norman BLACKBURNE